105-507: The Alaska Railroad ( reporting mark ARR ) is a Class II railroad that operates freight and passenger trains in the state of Alaska . The railroad's mainline runs between Seward on the southern coast and Fairbanks , near the center of the state. It passes through Anchorage and Denali National Park , to which 17% of visitors travel by train. The railroad has 656 miles (1,056 km) of track, including sidings , rail yards and branch lines . The main line between Seward and Fairbanks
210-660: A 1982 embargo of the entire line. Following the demise of the ill-fated Keystone XL Pipeline project, the Alaska Canada Rail Link (ACRL) was rekindled as an alternative. In November 2015, the National Post reported that a link between the southern provinces and the Alaska Railroad was again being considered by the Canadian federal government, this time routing to Alberta . In this scenario,
315-695: A 2-digit code indicating the vehicle's register country . The registered keeper of a vehicle is now indicated by a separate Vehicle Keeper Marking (VKM), usually the name of the owning company or an abbreviation thereof, which must be registered with the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF) and the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) and which is unique throughout Europe and parts of Asia and Northern Africa. The VKM must be between two and five letters in length and can use any of
420-470: A bachelor's degree or higher. Compared to communities of similar population, Fairbanks' crime rate (violent and property crimes combined) is higher than Alaska's average, which in turn is higher than the U.S. average. Fairbanks is ranked the least safe city in Alaska by neighborhoodscout.com. (only including Fairbanks Police Department) Fairbanks similarly has a rate of rape and sexual assault three times
525-642: A bilateral commission to study feasibility of building a rail link between Canada and Alaska; Canada was asked to be part of the commission, but the Canadian federal government did not choose to join the commission or commit funds for the study. However, the Yukon territorial government did show some interest. A June 2006 report by the commission recommended Carmacks, Yukon , as a hub, with three possibilities: A line could go northward to Delta Junction, Alaska (Alaska Railroad's northern end-of-track). Another line could go from Carmacks to Hazelton, British Columbia (which
630-463: A construction town along Ship Creek , eventually giving rise to Anchorage, now the state's largest city. In 1917, the government purchased the narrow gauge Tanana Valley Railroad , mostly for its railyard in Fairbanks. The railroad was completed on July 15, 1923 with President Warren G. Harding traveling to Alaska to drive a ceremonial golden spike at Nenana . Ownership of the railroad passed from
735-545: A district connected to the rest of Fairbanks by bridges and culverted roads. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has an area of 32.7 square miles (85 km ); 31.9 square miles (83 km ) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km ) of it (2.48%) is water. The city is extremely far north, close to 16 degrees north of the Pacific border between the U.S. and Canada . It
840-418: A household between 2007 and 2011 was $ 55,409. Males had a median income of $ 30,539 versus $ 26,577 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 19,814. About 7.4% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over. The percentage of high school graduates or higher is 88%. 20.4% of the population 25 years and up had
945-464: A hyphen. Some examples: When a vehicle is sold it will not normally be transferred to another register. The Czech railways bought large numbers of coaches from ÖBB. The number remained the same but the VKM changed from A-ÖBB to A-ČD. The UIC introduced a uniform numbering system for their members based on a 12-digit number, largely known as UIC number . The third and fourth digit of the number indicated
1050-923: A junior hockey team in the North American Hockey League, play at the Big Dipper Ice Arena. Prior to the formation of the Ice Dogs, the Fairbanks Gold Kings was formed as a league team by the Teamsters Local 959 in 1974. The team took on a life of its own beyond local league play, and played out of the Big Dipper for many years until moving to Colorado Springs, Colorado and becoming the Colorado Gold Kings in 1998. The Alaska Goldpanners
1155-542: A local hotel and visit one or more attractions. Tourism the rest of the year is mostly concentrated around the winter season, centered upon the northern lights , ice carving and winter sports. In addition, other events draw visitors from within Alaska, mostly from the community's trading area throughout Interior Alaska and the North Slope . Attractions include: Fairbanks offers a variety of winter sports, including cross-country skiing and dog mushing. The city hosted
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#17327723318301260-403: A negative phase to a positive phase from 1976 onward. See or edit raw graph data . Fairbanks first appeared on the 1910 U.S. Census as an incorporated city and as Alaska's largest city. It was incorporated in 1903. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the population of the city in 2011 was 32,036 people, 11,075 households, and 7,187 families residing in the city. The population density
1365-700: A predecessor of the CNW, from which the UP inherited it. Similarly, during the breakup of Conrail , the long-retired marks of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) and New York Central Railroad (NYC) were temporarily brought back and applied to much of Conrail's fleet to signify which cars and locomotives were to go to CSX (all cars labeled NYC) and which to Norfolk Southern (all cars labeled PRR). Some of these cars still retain their temporary NYC marks. Because of its size, this list has been split into subpages based on
1470-556: A presidential permit to the Alaska-Alberta Railway Development Corporation (A2A Railway), which had an agreement with Alaska Railway to develop a joint operating plan for the rail connection to Canada. The proposed A2A Railway would have connected to the Alaska Railroad at North Pole, Alaska , and run through Yukon Territory to Fort Nelson, and from there to a terminus at Fort McMurray, Alberta. (The A2A Railway had also been negotiating with
1575-559: A route in 1912. The line would be 656 miles (1,056 km) long and provide an all-weather route to the interior. In 1914, the government bought the Alaska Northern Railroad and moved its headquarters to Ship Creek , in what would later become Anchorage . The government began to extend the rail line northward. In 1917, the Tanana Valley Railroad in Fairbanks was heading into bankruptcy. It owned
1680-677: A small 45-mile (72 km) 3 ft ( 914 mm ) ( narrow gauge ) line that serviced the towns of Fairbanks and the mining communities in the area as well as the boat docks on the Tanana River near Fairbanks. The government bought the Tanana Valley Railroad, principally for its terminal facilities. The section between Fairbanks and Happy was converted to dual gauge to complete the 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,435 mm ) standard gauge line from Seward to Fairbanks. The government extended
1785-475: A snowfall of 147.3 inches (3.74 m), while the least snowy period recorded was from July 1918 to June 1919 with a snowfall of only 12.0 inches (0.30 m). The average first and last dates with a freezing temperature are September 11 and May 14, respectively, allowing an average growing season of 119 days. However, freezes have occurred in June, July, and August; the last light frost is often in early June; and
1890-685: A supply point for the oil field, as well as for the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System . With the establishment of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in 1964, the city became borough seat. Tourism is also a factor in Fairbanks' economy. Fairbanks is in the Tanana Valley , straddling the Chena River near its confluence with the Tanana River . The Tanana River marks the city's southern border, and
1995-555: A trading post on the south bank of the Chena River . A gold discovery near the trading post sparked the Fairbanks Gold Rush , and many miners moved to the area. There was a boom in construction, and in November 1903, the area's residents voted to incorporate Fairbanks as a city. Barnette became the first mayor, and the city flourished during the gold rush. By World War I , the population had plunged, but rose again during
2100-613: A wagon road. In the 1920s, it was improved further and made navigable by automobiles, but it was not paved until 1957. Fairbanks' road connections were improved in 1927, when the 161-mile (259 km) Steese Highway connected the city to the Yukon River at the gold-mining community of Circle . In 1942, the Alaska Highway connected the Richardson Highway to the Canadian road system, allowing road travel from
2205-553: Is a summer collegiate / semi-pro baseball team, playing home games at Growden Memorial Park . The park is home to the annual Midnight Sun Game , an annual tradition since 1906, played without artificial lights starting after ten at night on the summer solstice. The city was briefly represented in the Indoor Football League by the Fairbanks Grizzlies . Fairbanks is the starting and ending point for
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#17327723318302310-496: Is in operation today. In summer, the railroad operates tourist trains to and from Fairbanks, and it operates occasional passenger trains throughout the year. The majority of its business through Fairbanks is freight. The railroad is planning an expansion of the rail line from Fairbanks to connect the city via rail with Delta Junction , about 100 miles (160 km) southeast. As the transportation hub for Interior Alaska, Fairbanks features extensive road, rail, and air connections to
2415-672: Is in the central Tanana Valley , straddling the Chena River near its confluence with the Tanana River . Immediately north of the city is a chain of hills that rises gradually until it reaches the White Mountains and the Yukon River . The city's southern border is the Tanana River. South of the river is the Tanana Flats, an area of marsh and bog that stretches for more than 100 miles (160 km) until it rises into
2520-694: Is named for Harry Markley Badger, an early resident of Fairbanks who later established a farm along the road and became known as "the Strawberry King". Ballaine and McGrath Roads, side roads of Farmers Loop Road, were also named for prominent local farmers, whose farms were in the immediate vicinity of their respective namesake roads. Despite early efforts by the Alaska Loyal League , the Tanana Valley Agriculture Association and William Fentress Thompson,
2625-643: Is on roughly the same parallel as the northern Swedish city of Skellefteå and Finnish city of Oulu , just south of the Arctic Circle . Because of this, the white night or "Midnight Sun" phenomenon occurs here around the summer solstice. Due to its warm summers, Fairbanks is south of the arctic tree line . Fairbanks's climate is classified as a humid continental climate bordering on a subarctic climate ( Köppen Dfb bordering on Dfc , Trewartha Dclc bordering on Eclc ), with long, very cold winters and short, warm summers. October through February are
2730-660: Is over 470 miles (760 km) long. The branch to Whittier conveys freight railcars interchanged with the contiguous United States via rail barges sailing between the Port of Whittier and Harbor Island in Seattle . Construction of the railroad started in 1903 when the Alaska Central Railroad built a line starting in Seward and extending 50 miles (80 km) north. The Alaska Central went bankrupt in 1907 and
2835-595: Is politically conservative, with three distinct geographical areas representing different political perspectives. The western part of the city, centered on the University of Alaska Fairbanks , leans toward the Democratic Party. The downtown area and the eastern parts near Fort Wainwright lean slightly toward the Republican Party. The North Pole area farther east is heavily Republican and one of
2940-512: Is served by the CN ), passing through Watson Lake, Yukon , and Dease Lake, British Columbia . The third line could go from Carmacks to either Haines or Skagway, Alaska . The latter path by way of Whitehorse, Yukon , the northern terminus of the 3 ft ( 914 mm ) ( narrow-gauge ) White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad). However, currently the latter's trains only reach Carcross, Yukon , because service has not been completely restored following
3045-437: Is −58 °F (−50 °C) on January 18, 1906, and the record warm daily minimum is 76 °F (24 °C) on June 26, 1915; the only other occurrence of a 70 °F (21 °C) daily minimum was June 25, 2013, in the midst of a particularly warm summer. These widely varying temperature extremes are due to three main factors: temperature inversions , daylight, and wind direction. In winter, Fairbanks' low-lying location at
3150-627: The 2014 Arctic Winter Games from March 15–22, 2014. Fairbanks has also held skiing events that include the 2003 Junior Olympic Cross Country Ski Championship and the 2008 and 2009 U.S. Cross Country Distance Nationals. A 50k race called the Sonot Kkaazoot is held annually in Fairbanks, as are the Fairbanks Town Series races and the Chest Medicine Distance Series races. Fairbanks is also home to
3255-577: The Alaska Pipeline . On January 6, 1985, the state of Alaska bought the railroad from the U.S. government for $ 22.3 million, based on a valuation determined by the US Railway Association. The state immediately invested over $ 70 million on improvements and repairs that compensated for years of deferred maintenance. The purchase agreement prohibits the Alaska Railroad from paying dividends or otherwise returning capital to
Alaska Railroad - Misplaced Pages Continue
3360-610: The Alaska Range , which is visible from Fairbanks on clear days. To the east and west are low valleys separated by ridges of hills up to 3,000 feet (910 m) above sea level. The Tanana Valley is crossed by many low streams and rivers that flow into the Tanana River. In Fairbanks, the Chena River flows southwest until it empties into the Tanana. Noyes Slough, which heads and foots off the Chena River, creates Garden Island,
3465-903: The Dalton Highway , which ends in Deadhorse on the North Slope. West of the Dalton intersection, the Elliott Highway extends to Manley Hot Springs on the Tanana River. To improve logistics in Fairbanks during construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline , the George Parks Highway was built between Fairbanks and Palmer in 1971. Until 1940, none of Fairbanks' surface streets were paved. The outbreak of World War II interrupted plans to pave most of
3570-599: The Great Depression as the price of gold increased. During the 1940s and 1950s, the city became a staging area for the construction of military depots during World War II and the Cold War . Fort Wainwright , previously named Ladd Field , was built east of the city beginning in 1938 and is operated by the U.S. Army . After the discovery of the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field in 1968, the city became
3675-551: The Surface Transportation Board approved the construction of a new 25-mile (40 km) line between Port MacKenzie and the existing main line at Houston, Alaska . As of May 2023 this spur line had not been completed. A spur line was built to Ted Stevens International Airport in 2003, along with a depot, officially named after Bill Sheffield . The line never received scheduled service but cruise lines charter trains to convey passengers between ships and
3780-669: The TTX Company (formerly Trailer Train Company) is named for its original reporting mark of TTX. In another example, the reporting mark for state-funded Amtrak services in California is CDTX (whereas the usual Amtrak mark is AMTK) because the state transportation agency ( Caltrans ) owns the equipment used in these services. This may also apply to commuter rail, for example Metrolink in Southern California uses
3885-536: The Tanana Valley , but mostly to the southeast of Fairbanks in the communities of Salcha and Delta Junction . During the early days of Fairbanks, its vicinity was a major producer of agricultural goods. What is now the northern reaches of South Fairbanks was originally the farm of Paul J. Rickert, who came from nearby Chena in 1904 and operated a large farm until his death in 1938. Farmers Loop Road and Badger Road, loop roads north and east (respectively) of Fairbanks, were also home to major farming activity. Badger Road
3990-690: The Yukon Quest , an international 1,000 mile sled dog race that is considered one of the toughest in the world. The race alternates its starting and finishing points each year between Fairbanks, Alaska and Whitehorse, Yukon. Hockey is also present in Fairbanks. Two teams include the University of Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks men's team ice hockey, which plays at the Carlson Center , and the Fairbanks Ice Dogs. The Fairbanks Ice Dogs ,
4095-513: The 26 letters of the Latin alphabet . Diacritical marks may also be used, but they are ignored in data processing (for example, Ö is treated as though it is O ). The VKM is preceded by the code for the country (according to the alphabetical coding system described in Appendix 4 to the 1949 convention and Article 45(4) of the 1968 convention on road traffic), where the vehicle is registered and
4200-568: The AAR, maintains the active reporting marks for the North American rail industry. Under current practice, the first letter must match the initial letter of the railroad name. As it also acts as a Standard Carrier Alpha Code , the reporting mark cannot conflict with codes in use by other nonrail carriers. Marks ending with the letter "X" are assigned to companies or individuals who own railcars, but are not operating railroads; for example,
4305-576: The Alaska Railroad and at the time, was the second longest single-span steel railroad bridge in the country. U.S. President Warren G. Harding drove the golden spike that completed the railroad on July 15, 1923, on the north side of the bridge. The railroad was part of the US Department of the Interior. The Alaska Railroad's first diesel locomotive entered service in 1944. The railroad retired its last steam locomotive in 1966. In 1958, land for
Alaska Railroad - Misplaced Pages Continue
4410-686: The Bering Strait land bridge in deep antiquity. Captain E. T. Barnette founded Fairbanks in August 1901 while headed to Tanacross (or Tanana Crossing, where the Valdez–Eagle trail crossed the Tanana River ), where he intended to set up a trading post. The steamboat on which Barnette was a passenger, the Lavelle Young , ran aground while attempting to negotiate shallow water. Barnette, along with his party and supplies, were deposited along
4515-714: The Fairbanks North Star Borough was 95,655. The racial makeup of the North Star Borough was 68.9% White, 4.1% Black, 7.9% Alaska Native or Native American, 3.2% Asian, 0.6% Pacific Islander; 7.6% identified as Hispanic or Latino, and 12.7% identified as two or more races. Of the 11,075 households, 39.9% had children under the age of 18, 47.2% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.0% had someone living alone who
4620-611: The Gulf of Alaska, home to the Alaska Central Railway . In 1914, the U.S. Congress appropriated $ 35 million for construction of the Alaska Railroad system, but work was delayed by the outbreak of World War I. Three years later, the Alaska Railroad purchased the Tanana Valley Railroad, which had suffered from the wartime economic problems. Rail workers built a line extending northwest from Fairbanks, then south to Nenana , where President Warren G. Harding hammered in
4725-561: The Mat-Su Borough on an agreement to complete the Port Mackenzie Railway Extension.) The Alaska Railroad Corporation has its own police force The railroad is a major tourist attraction in the summer. Coach cars feature wide windows and domes. Private cars owned by the major cruise companies are towed behind the Alaska Railroad's own cars, and trips are included with various cruise packages. By 1936,
4830-637: The Tanana Flats, a large area of marsh and bog, is south of the river. Fairbanks is the coldest city in the United States with a population of at least 10,000 people. Monthly mean temperatures range from −8.3 °F (−22.4 °C) in January to 62.9 °F (17.2 °C) in July. In winter, Fairbanks' location in the Tanana Valley causes cold air to accumulate in the city and warm air to rise up
4935-440: The United States with regularly scheduled non-stop international flights . Athabascan peoples have used the area for thousands of years , although there is no known permanent Alaska Native settlement at the site of Fairbanks. An archaeological site excavated on the grounds of the University of Alaska Fairbanks uncovered a Native camp about 3,500 years old, with older remains found at deeper levels. From evidence gathered at
5040-439: The VKM BLS. Example for an "Einheitswagen" delivered in 1957: In the United Kingdom, prior to nationalisation, wagons owned by the major railways were marked with codes of two to four letters, these codes normally being the initials of the railway concerned; for example, wagons of the Great Western Railway were marked "G W"; those of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway were marked "L M S", etc. The codes were agreed between
5145-417: The Yukon 800 speedboat race, held annually in June. Alaska State Parks operates the Chena River State Recreation Site , a 29-acre (0.12 km ) park in the middle of Fairbanks with a campground, trails, and a boat launch. Fairbanks is a regional center for most departments of the state of Alaska, though the vast majority of state jobs are based in either Anchorage or Juneau. The majority of Fairbanks
5250-466: The acquiring company discontinues the name or mark of the acquired company, the discontinued mark is referred to as a "fallen flag" railway. Occasionally, long-disused marks are suddenly revived by the companies which now own them. For example, in recent years, the Union Pacific Railroad has begun to use the mark CMO on newly built covered hoppers, gondolas and five-bay coal hoppers. CMO originally belonged to Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway ,
5355-520: The airport. The railroad currently leases the depot to citizens for private events such as conferences, seminars, and corporate functions. There are plans to provide commuter rail service within the Anchorage metropolitan area ( Anchorage to Mat-Su Valley via Eagle River , north Anchorage to south Anchorage); additional tracks would be necessary to accommodate the heavy freight traffic. In 2001 federal legislation, sponsored by Republican U.S. senator (and later Alaska governor) Frank Murkowski , formed
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#17327723318305460-404: The banks of the Chena River 7 miles (11 km) upstream from its confluence with the Tanana River. The sight of smoke from the steamer's engines caught the attention of gold prospectors working in the hills to the north, most notably an Italian immigrant named Felice Pedroni (better known as Felix Pedro ) and his partner Tom Gilmore. The two met Barnette where he disembarked and convinced him of
5565-402: The bottom of the Tanana Valley causes cold air to accumulate in and around the city. Warmer air rises to the tops of the hills north of Fairbanks, while the city itself experiences one of the biggest temperature inversions on Earth. Heating through sunlight is limited because of Fairbanks's high-latitude location. At the winter solstice , the center of the sun's disk is less than two degrees over
5670-456: The bridge, which initially be only for vehicular use. The United States Department of Defense would provide another $ 100 million in funds, as the bridge and a subsequent rail line would provide year-round access to Fort Greely and the Joint Tanana Training Complex. Groundbreaking ceremony for the Tanana River Bridge took place on September 28, 2011, and the new bridge was opened (for military road traffic only) in 2014. On 21 November 2011,
5775-425: The ceremonial final spike in 1923. The rail yards of the Tanana Valley Railroad were converted for use by the Alaska Railroad, and Fairbanks became the northern end of the line and its second-largest depot. From 1923 to 2004, the Alaska Railroad's Fairbanks terminal was in downtown Fairbanks, just north of the Chena River. In May 2005, the Alaska Railroad opened a new terminal northwest of downtown, and that terminal
5880-442: The chinook wind, Fairbanks experiences a handful of other unusual meteorological conditions. In summer, dense wildfire smoke accumulates in the Tanana Valley, affecting the weather and causing health concerns. When temperature inversions arise in winter, heavy ice fog often results. Ice fog occurs when air is too cold to absorb additional moisture, such as that released by automobile engines or human breath. Instead of dissipating,
5985-408: The city's roads, and a movement toward large-scale paving did not begin until 1953, when the city paved 30 blocks of streets. During the late 1950s and the 1960s, the remainder of the city's streets were converted from gravel roads to asphalt surfaces. Few have been repaved since that time; a 2008 survey of city streets indicated the average age of a street in Fairbanks was 31 years. Fairbanks
6090-433: The city, bending trees still laden with fall leaves. That September was also one of the snowiest on record, as 24 inches (61 cm) fell, compared to the 1991-2020 median of only a trace during the month. November and December are the snowiest months, while in contrast, March and April are not very snowy and are typically very dry months in central Alaska. The snowiest season on record lasted from July 1990 to June 1991 with
6195-580: The company had rostered 27 steam locomotives, 16 railcars, 40 passenger cars and 858 freight cars. As of 2022, Alaska Railroad rosters a total of 51 locomotives, two control cab units , and one DMU (self-propelled railcar): In 2011 the Alaska Railroad reacquired ARR 557, the last steam locomotive bought new by the railroad and the last steam locomotive used by the railroad, with the intent to refurbish and operate it in special excursions between Anchorage and Portage. A USATC S160 " 2-8-0 Consolidation" engine built in 1944 by Baldwin Locomotive Works , 557
6300-404: The editor-publisher of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner , to encourage food production, agriculture in the area was never able to fully support the population, although it came close in the 1920s. The construction of Ladd Army Airfield starting in 1939, part of a larger effort by the federal government during the New Deal and World War II to install major infrastructure in the territory for
6405-422: The federal government to the state of Alaska on January 6, 1985. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 226,000, or about 1,700 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024. In 2019, the company generated a US$ 21.6 million profit on revenues of US$ 203.9 million , holding US$ 1.1 billion in total assets. In 1903 a company called the Alaska Central Railroad began to build a rail line beginning at Seward , near
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#17327723318306510-448: The first letter of the reporting mark: A railway vehicle must be registered in the relevant state's National Vehicle Register (NVR), as part of which process it will be assigned a 12-digit European Vehicle Number (EVN). The EVN schema is essentially the same as that used by the earlier UIC numbering systems for tractive vehicles and wagons , except that it replaces the 2-digit vehicle owner's code (see § Europe 1964 to 2005 ) with
6615-514: The first light fall frost is often in late August or early September. The plant hardiness zone is 2 with annual mean minimums below -40. Fairbanks is the coldest city in the United States among cities with a population of at least 10,000 people. Normal monthly mean temperatures range from −8.3 °F (−22.4 °C) in January to 62.9 °F (17.2 °C) in July. On average, temperatures reach −40 °F (−40 °C) and 80 °F (27 °C) on 7.0 and 13 days annually, respectively, and
6720-409: The first steam locomotive in the Yukon Territory. In 1907, the railroad was reorganized and named the Tanana Valley Railroad . The railroad continued expanding until 1910, when the first gold boom began to falter and the introduction of automobiles into Fairbanks took business away from the railroad. Despite these problems, railroad backers envisioned a rail line extending from Fairbanks to Seward on
6825-414: The first time, fostered an economic and population boom in Fairbanks which extended beyond the end of the war. In the 1940s the Canol pipeline extended north from Whitehorse for a few years. The Haines - Fairbanks 626 mile long 8" petroleum products pipeline was constructed during the period 1953–55. The presence of the U.S. military has remained strong in Fairbanks. Ladd became Fort Wainwright in 1960;
6930-402: The future Clear Air Force Station was purchased. (Clear is about 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) south of Nenana.) Approximately 40,000 feet (12 km) of track were diverted, and later a spur was constructed to deliver coal to its power station. The railroad was greatly affected by the Good Friday earthquake , which struck southern Alaska in 1964. The yard and trackage around Seward buckled and
7035-404: The hills to the north, and the city experiences one of the biggest temperature inversions on Earth. Fairbanks is home to the University of Alaska Fairbanks , the founding campus of the University of Alaska system , established in 1917. Fairbanks International Airport is located three miles (4.8 km) southwest of the central business district of the city; Fairbanks is the smallest city in
7140-408: The horizon (1.7 degrees) at the local noon (not the time zone noon). Fairbanks experiences 3 hours and 41 minutes of sunlight on December 21 and 22. At the summer solstice, about 182 days later, on June 20 and 21, Fairbanks receives 21 hours and 49 minutes of sunlight. After sunset, twilight is bright enough to allow daytime activities without any electric lights, since the center of
7245-400: The last winter that failed to reach the former mark was that of 2022–23. Between 1995 and 2008, inclusive, Fairbanks failed to record a temperature of 90 °F or 32 °C. The highest recorded temperature in Fairbanks was 99 °F (37 °C) on July 28, 1919, just a degree cooler than Alaska-wide record high temperature of 100 °F (38 °C), recorded in Fort Yukon . The lowest
7350-409: The name or identifying number of the owner, lessee, or operator of the equipment, similar to IATA airline designators . In North America , the mark, which consists of an alphabetic code of two to four letters, is stenciled on each piece of equipment, along with a one- to six-digit number. This information is used to uniquely identify every such rail car or locomotive, thus allowing it to be tracked by
7455-547: The national average, and in 2010 was ranked the third most dangerous U.S. city for women with 70 rapes per 100,000 inhabitants. Doyon, Limited , an oil services company, is based in Fairbanks. The city of Fairbanks and the greater Fairbanks area is home to a number of attractions and events, which draw visitors from outside of Alaska throughout the year. Summer tourist traffic primarily consists of cruise ship passengers who purchase package tours which include travel to Fairbanks. Many of these tourists spend one or more nights at
7560-572: The owner of a reporting mark is taken over by another company, the old mark becomes the property of the new company. For example, when the Union Pacific Railroad (mark UP) acquired the Chicago and North Western Railway (mark CNW) in 1995, it retained the CNW mark rather than immediately repaint all acquired equipment. Some companies own several marks that are used to identify different classes of cars, such as boxcars or gondolas. If
7665-405: The owner, or more precisely the keeper of the vehicle. Thus each UIC member got a two-digit owner code . With the introduction of national vehicle registers this code became a country code. Some vehicles had to be renumbered as a consequence. The Swiss company BLS Lötschbergbahn had the owner code 63. When their vehicles were registered, they got numbers with the country code 85 for Switzerland and
7770-523: The population of the Fairbanks North Star Borough at 95,655, making it the second most populous metropolitan area in Alaska after Anchorage . The Metropolitan Statistical Area encompasses all of the Fairbanks North Star Borough and is the northernmost Metropolitan Statistical Area in the United States, located 196 miles (315 kilometers) by road (140 mi or 230 km by air) south of the Arctic Circle . In August 1901, E. T. Barnette founded
7875-416: The post was annexed into Fairbanks city limits during the 1980s. Fairbanks suffered from several floods in its first seven decades, whether from ice jams during spring breakup or heavy rainfall. The first bridge crossing the Chena River, a wooden structure built in 1904 to extend Turner Street northward to connect with the wagon roads leading to the gold mining camps, often washed out before a permanent bridge
7980-485: The potential of the area. Barnette set up his trading post at the site, still intending to eventually make it to Tanacross. Teams of gold prospectors soon congregated in and around the newly founded Fairbanks; they built drift mines, dredges, and lode mines in addition to panning and sluicing. After some urging by James Wickersham , who later moved the seat of the Third Division court from Eagle to Fairbanks,
8085-464: The rail line and extended it another 21 miles (34 km) northward. From the new end, goods were floated down the Turnagain Arm in small boats. The Alaska Northern Railroad went into receivership in 1914. At about this time, the United States government was planning a railroad route from Seward to the interior town of Fairbanks. President William Howard Taft authorized a commission to survey
8190-406: The railroad it is traveling over, which shares the information with other railroads and customers. In multinational registries, a code indicating the home country may also be included. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) assigns marks to all carriers, under authority granted by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board , Transport Canada , and Mexican Government. Railinc , a subsidiary of
8295-518: The railways and registered with the Ministry of Railways , Government of India . Fairbanks, Alaska Fairbanks is a home rule city and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska , United States. Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska and the second largest in the state. The 2020 Census put the population of the city proper at 32,515 and
8400-762: The railways and registered with the Railway Clearing House . In India, wagons owned by the Indian Railways are marked with codes of two to four letters, these codes normally being the initials of the railway divisions concerned along with the Hindi abbreviation; for example, trains of the Western Railway zone are marked "WR" and "प रे"; those of the Central Railway zone are marked "CR" and "मध्य", etc. The codes are agreed between
8505-459: The record warm January 1981, Fairbanks' average maximum temperature was 28.7 °F (−1.8 °C) and 15 days that month had high temperatures above freezing. Meanwhile, during a spell of sustained chinook winds from December 4 to 8, 1934, the temperature topped 50 °F (10 °C) for five consecutive days. Unusual for such a cold place, Fairbanks has experienced temperatures of 50 °F (10 °C) or higher in all 12 months. In addition to
8610-820: The reporting mark SCAX because the equipment is owned by the Southern California Regional Rail Authority —which owns the Metrolink system—even though it is operated by Amtrak. This is why the reporting mark for CSX Transportation , which is an operating railroad, is CSXT instead of CSX. Private (non-common carrier) freight car owners in Mexico were issued, up until around 1990, reporting marks ending in two X's, possibly to signify that their cars followed different regulations (such as bans on friction bearing trucks) than their American counterparts and so their viability for interchange service
8715-478: The rest of Alaska and outside of Alaska. At Fairbanks' founding, the only way to reach the new city was via steamboat on the Chena River. In 1904, money intended to improve the Valdez-Eagle Trail was diverted to build a branch trail, giving Fairbanks its first overland connection to the outside world. The resulting Richardson Highway was created in 1910 after Gen. Wilds P. Richardson upgraded it to
8820-405: The rest of the United States to Fairbanks, which is considered the unofficial end of the highway. Because of World War II, civilian traffic was not permitted on the highway until 1948. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, a series of roads were built to connect Fairbanks to the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay. The Elliott Highway was built in 1957 to connect Fairbanks to Livengood , southern terminus of
8925-575: The route would originate at Delta Junction and use Carmacks as a hub, as in prior plans. The route would continue through Watson Lake, Yukon , en route to a stop at Fort Nelson, British Columbia . It would continue to Peace River, Alberta , with its southern terminus at Fort McMurray . The route was endorsed by the Assembly of First Nations . It was unclear whether this rail connection would ever be utilized for passenger service. On September 25, 2020, then President Donald Trump announced he would issue
9030-479: The season with the highest increase, at 8.1 °F (4.5 °C), while autumn had the smallest, at only 1.5 °F (0.83 °C). However, the mean annual temperature increase from 1976 to 2018 in Fairbanks stood at a more moderate 0.7 °F (0.39 °C); this stepwise temperature change, also observed elsewhere in Alaska, is explained by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation shifting from
9135-563: The settlement was named after Charles W. Fairbanks , a Republican senator from Indiana and later the twenty-sixth vice president of the United States, serving under Theodore Roosevelt during his second term. In these early years of settlement, the Tanana Valley was an important agricultural center for Alaska until the establishment of the Matanuska Valley Colonization Project and the town of Palmer in 1935. Agricultural activity still occurs today in
9240-570: The site, archaeologists surmise that Native activities in the area were limited to seasonal hunting and fishing as frigid temperatures precluded berry gathering. In addition, archaeological sites on the grounds of nearby Fort Wainwright date back well over 10,000 years. Arrowheads excavated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks site matched similar items found in Asia, providing some of the first evidence that humans arrived in North America via
9345-582: The snowiest months, and there is usually additional snow from March to May. On average, the season's first accumulating snowfall and first inch of snow fall on October 1 and 11, respectively; the average last inch and last accumulating snowfall are respectively on March 29 and April 15, though there can be snow flurries in May. The snowpack is established by October 18, on average, and remains until April 23. Snow occasionally arrives early and in large amounts. On September 13, 1992, 8 inches (20 cm) of snow fell in
9450-476: The southern portion of the track to Nenana, and later converted the extension to standard gauge. The Alaska Railroad continued to operate the remaining TVRR narrow gauge line as the Chatanika Branch (the terminus was near the Yukon River ), until decommissioning it in 1930. In 1923 they built the 700-foot (213 m) Mears Memorial Bridge across the Tanana River at Nenana. This was the final link in
9555-710: The southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska, northward. The company built 51 miles (82 km) of track by 1909 and went into receivership . This route carried passengers, freight and mail to the upper Turnagain Arm . From there, goods were taken by boat at high tide, and by dog team or pack train to Eklutna and the Matanuska-Susitna Valley . In 1909, another company, the Alaska Northern Railroad Company, bought
9660-660: The state of Alaska, unlike the state's other quasi-corporations: the Alaska Permanent Fund , the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, and the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority. An extension of the railroad from Fairbanks to Delta Junction over a bridge spanning the Tanana River was envisioned as early as 2009. The 2011 Alaska state budget would provide $ 40 million in funding for
9765-422: The sun's disk is just 1.7 degrees below horizon. During winter, the direction of the wind also causes large temperature swings in Fairbanks. When the wind blows from any direction but the south, average weather ensues. Wind from the south can carry warm, moist air from the Gulf of Alaska, greatly warming temperatures. When coupled with a chinook wind , temperatures well above freezing often result. For example, in
9870-578: The trackage along Turnagain Arm was damaged by floodwaters and landslides. It took several months to restore full service along the line. In 1967, the railroad was transferred to the Federal Railroad Administration, an agency within the newly created United States Department of Transportation . In 1975-76, an infusion of $ 15 million from the DOT enabled various capital improvements including those to facilitate hauling materials for
9975-463: The water freezes into microscopic crystals that are suspended in the air, forming fog. Another one of Fairbanks' unusual occurrences is the prevalence of the aurora borealis , commonly called the northern lights, which are visible on average more than 200 days per year in the vicinity of Fairbanks. The northern lights are not visible in the summer months due to the 24 hour daylight of the midnight sun. Fairbanks also has extremely low seasonal lag ;
10080-461: The year's warmest month is July, which averages only 1.9 °F (1.1 °C) warmer than June. Average daily temperatures begin to fall by late July and more markedly in August, which on average is 4.0 °F (2.2 °C) cooler than June. From 1949 to 2018, Fairbanks's mean annual temperature has risen by 3.9 °F (2.2 °C), a change comparable to the Alaska-wide average; winter was
10185-465: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.15. The median age of the population was 28 years, with 9.6% under the age of 5, 26.0% under the age of 18, 14.7% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 16.4% from 45 to 64, and 7.3% who were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 105.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.2 males. The median income for
10290-468: Was 995 inhabitants per square mile (384/km ). There were 12,357 housing units at an average density of 387.9 units per square mile (149.8 units/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 57.5% White , 7.42% Black or African American , 8.63% Native American or Alaska Native , 4.21% Asian , 0.7% Pacific Islander . In addition, 11% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino , and 9.48% identified as two or more races . The population estimate for
10395-682: Was constructed at Cushman Street in 1917 by the Alaska Road Commission . On August 14, 1967, after record rainfall upstream, the Chena began to surge over its banks, flooding almost the entire town of Fairbanks overnight. This disaster led to the creation of the Chena River Lakes Flood Control Project, which built and operates the 50-foot-high (15 m) Moose Creek Dam in the Chena River and accompanying 8-mile-long (13 km) spillway. The project
10500-592: Was designed to prevent a repetition of the 1967 flood by being able to divert water in the Chena upstream from Fairbanks into the Tanana River, thus bypassing the city. After large-scale gold mining began north of Fairbanks, miners wanted to build a railroad from the steamboat docks on the Chena River to the mine sites in the hills north of the city. The result was the Tanana Mines Railroad, which started operations in September 1905, using what had been
10605-580: Was impaired. This often resulted in five-letter reporting marks, an option not otherwise allowed by the AAR. Companies owning trailers used in trailer-on-flatcar service are assigned marks ending with the letter "Z", and the National Motor Freight Traffic Association , which maintains the list of Standard Carrier Alpha Codes, assigns marks ending in "U" to owners of intermodal containers . The standard ISO 6346 covers identifiers for intermodal containers. When
10710-438: Was originally coal-fired but was converted to oil in 1955. It operated until 1964, when it was deemed surplus and sold as scrap. It was purchased by Monte Holm of Moses Lake, Washington and displayed in his House of Poverty Museum. After Holm's death in 2006, Jim and Vic Jansen bought 557 from the museum and returned it to the Alaska Railroad on the condition that it be restored to operation and put into service. The locomotive
10815-509: Was reorganized as the Alaska Northern Railroad Company in 1911, which extended the line another 21 miles (34 km) northward. On March 12, 1914, the U.S. Congress agreed to fund construction and operation of an all-weather railroad from Seward to Fairbanks and purchased the rail line from the financially struggling Alaska Northern. As the government started building the estimated $ 35 million railroad, it opened
10920-454: Was sold to the non-profit Engine 557 Restoration Company for "One Dollar ($ 1.00) and other good and valuable considerations" and they have invested (as of January 2019) 77 months and over 75,000 hours of volunteer time in the restoration and overhaul. Reporting mark A reporting mark is a code used to identify owners or lessees of rolling stock and other equipment used on certain rail transport networks. The code typically reflects
11025-568: Was −66 °F (−54 °C) on January 14, 1934 . The warmest calendar year in Fairbanks was 2019, when the average annual temperature was 32.5 °F (0.3 °C), while the coldest was 1956 with an annual mean temperature of 21.3 °F (−5.9 °C). The warmest month has been July 1975 with a monthly mean of 68.4 °F (20.2 °C) and the coldest January 1906 which averaged −36.4 °F (−38.0 °C). Low temperatures below 0 °F or −18 °C have been recorded in every month outside June through September. The record cold daily maximum
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